It’s Time to Fix Medicare's Flawed Formula
"I am a 68 year old retired college professor who has MS. I take a number of medications that are quite expensive. Without Medicare I would be sunk. I would not be able to afford many of the medicines I need, nor would I be able to afford the many specialists I see for MS related problems. Medicare has been an absolute necessity in my life." – Walter M., (New Hartford, CT)
This past spring Congress passed its 17th Medicare sustainable growth rate (SGR) extension in 11 years. The cost of more than a decade of temporary patches now exceeds the cost of a permanent fix. Patients like Walter worry what could happen to Medicare if Congress doesn’t pass a permanent solution for the flawed SGR formula.
Over 300,000 supporters joined the Patients’ Action Network last year to contact Congress, hoping to encourage action and thwart the passage of more cuts. With members of Congress in their home districts for summer recess, now is your opportunity to tell them that passing temporary patches is short-sighted and fiscally irresponsible.
Tell Congress that they need to keep patients in mind and repeal the SGR!
I am an extremely concerned constituent concerned about the future of Medicare.
Come April 1, 2015, physicians will face a 21 percent cut in Medicare payments unless Congress acts to find a permanent solution to the flawed sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula.
The uncertainty surrounding the SGR formula is an enormous impediment to securing a successful 21st-century approach to health care delivery and payment reforms that will improve the quality of patient care
The cumulative cost of temporary patches is now over $169 billion, which is more than the cost of a permanent SGR fix. It’s time to be financially responsible and invest in physician payment reform instead of temporary patches that leave the failed formula in place.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
